scholarly journals eIF4A2 targets developmental potency and histone H3.3 transcripts for translational control of stem cell pluripotency

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dan Li ◽  
Jihong Yang ◽  
Xin Huang ◽  
Hongwei Zhou ◽  
Jianlong Wang

Translational control has emerged as a fundamental regulatory layer of proteome complexity that governs cellular identity and functions. As initiation is the rate-limiting step of translation, we carried out an RNAi screen for key translation initiation factors required to maintain embryonic stem cell (ESC) identity. We identified eIF4A2 and defined its mechanistic action through Rps26-independent and -dependent ribosomes in translation initiation activation of mRNAs encoding pluripotency factors and the histone variant H3.3 with demonstrated roles in maintaining stem cell pluripotency. eIF4A2 also mediates translation initiation activation of Ddx6, which acts together with eIF4A2 to restrict the totipotent 2-cell transcription program in ESCs through Zscan4 mRNA degradation and translation repression. Accordingly, knockdown of eIF4A2 disrupts ESC proteome causing the loss of ESC identity. Collectively, we establish a translational paradigm of the protein synthesis of pluripotency transcription factors and epigenetic regulators imposed on their established roles in controlling pluripotency.

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sofya Gindina ◽  
Benjamin Botsford ◽  
Kiriana Cowansage ◽  
Joseph LeDoux ◽  
Eric Klann ◽  
...  

AbstractLocal translation can provide a rapid, spatially targeted supply of new proteins in distal dendrites to support synaptic changes that underlie learning. Learning and memory are especially sensitive to manipulations of translational control mechanisms, particularly those that target the initiation step, and translation initiation at synapses could be a means of maintaining synapse specificity during plasticity. Initiation predominantly occurs via recruitment of ribosomes to the 5’ mRNA cap by complexes of eukaryotic initiation factors (eIFs), and the interaction between eIF4E and eIF4G1 is a particularly important target of translational control pathways. Pharmacological inhibition of eIF4E-eIF4G1 binding impairs consolidation of memory for aversive Pavlovian conditioning as well as the accompanying increase in polyribosomes in the heads of dendritic spines in the lateral amygdala (LA). This is consistent with a role for initiation at synapses in memory formation, but whether eIFs are even present near synapses is unknown. To determine whether dendritic spines contain eIFs and whether eIF distribution is affected by learning, we combined immunolabeling with serial section transmission electron microscopy (ssTEM) volume reconstructions of LA dendrites after Pavlovian conditioning. Labeling for eIF4E, eIF4G1, and eIF2α – another key target of regulation – occurred in roughly half of dendritic spines, but learning effects were only found for eIF4E, which was upregulated in the heads of dendritic spines. Our results support the possibility of regulated translation initiation as a means of synapse-specific protein targeting during learning and are consistent with the model of eIF4E availability as a central point of control.


2021 ◽  
Vol 22 (19) ◽  
pp. 10664
Author(s):  
Stacey L. Lehman ◽  
Evan D. Wilson ◽  
Kevin Camphausen ◽  
Philip J. Tofilon

Towards improving the efficacy of radiotherapy, one approach is to target the molecules and processes mediating cellular radioresponse. Along these lines, translational control of gene expression has been established as a fundamental component of cellular radioresponse, which suggests that the molecules participating in this process (i.e., the translational machinery) can serve as determinants of radiosensitivity. Moreover, the proteins comprising the translational machinery are often overexpressed in tumor cells suggesting the potential for tumor specific radiosensitization. Studies to date have shown that inhibiting proteins involved in translation initiation, the rate-limiting step in translation, specifically the three members of the eIF4F cap binding complex eIF4E, eIF4G, and eIF4A as well as the cap binding regulatory kinases mTOR and Mnk1/2, results in the radiosensitization of tumor cells. Because ribosomes are required for translation initiation, inhibiting ribosome biogenesis also appears to be a strategy for radiosensitization. In general, the radiosensitization induced by targeting the translation initiation machinery involves inhibition of DNA repair, which appears to be the consequence of a reduced expression of proteins critical to radioresponse. The availability of clinically relevant inhibitors of this component of the translational machinery suggests opportunities to extend this approach to radiosensitization to patient care.


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Deniz Bartsch ◽  
Kaustubh Kalamkar ◽  
Gaurav Ahuja ◽  
Hisham Bazzi ◽  
Argyris Papantonis ◽  
...  

SUMMARYIn mammals, translation is uniquely regulated at the exit of pluripotency to rapidly reprogram the proteome to enable lineage commitment. Yet, the developmental mediators of translational control and their mode-of-action remain elusive. Using human embryonic stem cells, we identified RBPMS as a vital translation specialization factor that allows selective translation of developmental regulators. RBPMS-driven translational control balances the abundance of cell-fate regulators to enable accurate lineage decisions upon receiving differentiation cues. RBPMS loss, without affecting pluripotency, specifically and severely impedes mesoderm specification and subsequent cardiogenesis. Mechanistically, the direct binding of RBPMS to 3’UTR allows selective translation of transcripts encoding developmental regulators including integral components of central morphogen signaling networks specifying mesoderm. RBPMS-loss results in aberrant retention of key translation initiation factors on ribosomal complexes. Our data unveil how emerging lineage choices from pluripotency are controlled by translational specialization via ribosomal platforms acting as a regulatory nexus for developmental cell fate decisions.IN BRIEFFuture lineage choices from pluripotency are controlled by translational specialization. The RNA binding protein RBPMS is a vital translational specialization factor that unlocks the mesoderm commitment potential of pluripotent stem cells by enabling selective translation of cell-fate regulators instructing lineage decisions.HIGHLIGHTSLineage choices emerging from pluripotency are selectively controlled by translational specializationThe RNA-binding protein RBPMS is a translation specialization factor dedicated to mesoderm commitmentRBPMS-driven translational specialization enables accurate lineage commitment via balancing the availability of key morphogen signaling componentsRBPMS loss selectively impairs mesoderm commitment and subsequently impedes cardiogenesisRBPMS binds the 3’UTRs of target mRNAs to allow their selective translation; its depletion leads to aberrant retention of key translation initiation factors on ribosomal complexes


2013 ◽  
Vol 41 (1) ◽  
pp. 350-355 ◽  
Author(s):  
Anna La Teana ◽  
Dario Benelli ◽  
Paola Londei ◽  
Udo Bläsi

The formation of the translation initiation complex represents the rate-limiting step in protein synthesis. Translation initiation in the crenarchaeon Sulfolobus solfataricus depends on several translation IFs (initiation factors), some of which have eukaryal but no bacterial counterparts. In the present paper, we review the current knowledge of the structure, function and evolution of the IFs in S. solfataricus in the context of eukaryotic and bacterial orthologues. Despite similarities between eukaryotic and S. solfataricus IFs, the sequence of events in translation initiation in S. solfataricus follows the bacterial mode.


2005 ◽  
Vol 171 (5) ◽  
pp. 811-821 ◽  
Author(s):  
Huidong Wang ◽  
Anna Iacoangeli ◽  
Daisy Lin ◽  
Keith Williams ◽  
Robert B. Denman ◽  
...  

Translational control at the synapse is thought to be a key determinant of neuronal plasticity. How is such control implemented? We report that small untranslated BC1 RNA is a specific effector of translational control both in vitro and in vivo. BC1 RNA, expressed in neurons and germ cells, inhibits a rate-limiting step in the assembly of translation initiation complexes. A translational repression element is contained within the unique 3′ domain of BC1 RNA. Interactions of this domain with eukaryotic initiation factor 4A and poly(A) binding protein mediate repression, indicating that the 3′ BC1 domain targets a functional interaction between these factors. In contrast, interactions of BC1 RNA with the fragile X mental retardation protein could not be documented. Thus, BC1 RNA modulates translation-dependent processes in neurons and germs cells by directly interacting with translation initiation factors.


2001 ◽  
Vol 85 (01) ◽  
pp. 142-151 ◽  
Author(s):  
Anping Han ◽  
Linrong Lu ◽  
German Pihan ◽  
Bruce Woda ◽  
Jane-Jane Chen ◽  
...  

SummaryIt is generally believed that platelets do not have a functionally significant protein synthetic machinery. However, our analysis demonstrated that normal bone marrow megakaryocytes express high levels of translation initiation factors eIF-4E and eIF-2α and the expression of these protein synthesis initiation factors is continued in platelets (as determined by immunohistochemistry and Western blot analysis). Both eIF-4E and eIF-2α are key regulators of protein synthesis. The eIF-4E is a rate-limiting part of a multisubunit complex, eIF-4F, that binds to the 5’ cap structure present in virtually all eukaryotic mRNAs, and carries out transfer of mRNAs to ribosomes for translation. Translation initiation factor eIF-2α is also a rate-limiting protein which associates with two other proteins to form an eIF-2 initiation factor complex responsible for the transfer of initiator methionyl-tRNA to the 40S ribosomal subunit. We confirm that expression of eIF-4E and eIF-2α is biologically relevant in that platelets continue protein synthesis, albeit at a 16 times lower rate than WBC (as determined by 35S-labeled amino acid incorporation, SDS-PAGE and scintillation counting). Finally, we determined that protein synthesis inhibitors (puromycin and emetine) attenuate the platelet aggregation response to a combination of ADP and epinephrine, but potentiate the response to collagen. Our data are consistent with the existence of different signal transducing pathways mediating the response to ADP/epinephrine and collagen. We suggest that the ADP/epinephrine response is positively affected by continuously synthesized proteins, while the response to collagen is modulated by continuously produced inhibitory proteins. Taken together, our results suggest that continuous protein synthesis is important for platelet function and its role in platelet physiology and pathophysiology deserves further study.


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